Tales of a Vixen
by Llttlelie
Summary: "A week had passed since Lila was Akumatised, and Marinette couldn't possibly feel more guilty about it." Rated T for nasty language.


A week had passed since Lila was Akumatised, and Marinette couldn't possibly feel more guilty about it. Somehow, the truth about the brunette's outlandish made up stories had spread through the school, and since then everyone had isolated her, talking about her in her back, laughing at her.

Marinette was surprised she hadn't been Akumatised again.

The anger she felt when she found out she was using her superhero self to woo Adrien – _Adrien!_ – had long since faded. She could somehow understand her will to do whatever it took to just be beside someone, although she didn't exactly approve of her wicked methods. She too had done some stupid and rash things, after all (hello, she stol- _borrowed_ Adrien's phone to erase an embarrassing voicemail).

It didn't help her to get rid of the guilt trip the fact that it was her, well, Ladybug, the first one who had given away her lying nature. Never mind her awful personality, she'd still hurt her so much she had been Akumatised because of it, and now she was being bullied for it.

(Some part of her argued that she had brought this to herself the moment she decided to lie through her teeth to literally everyone, but her most emotional part muffled it down).

So her guilt resurfaced once again when she came early to school and saw her sitting on the entrance steps alone, reading a worn out book. Everyone avoided her, most of the students not looking at her direction, although other ones were clearly talking about her.

God, she felt awful.

"Hey girl." Alya tapped on her shoulder, calling her attention, "It's a surprise to see you this early in the morning. What are you looking at?"

"Lila." She sighed and nodded to the lonely girl, "I feel bad for how badly people's treating her."

The brown-haired girl shrugged "I do too, but I have to admit that she brought all this to herself. I had to take down the video of her knowing Ladybug from the Ladyblog, and let me tell you – people wasn't happy about it either."

Marinette turned around to face her best friend "I know, but don't you think everyone is being a little excessive about it? It isn't like she purposely hurt anyone, so why everybody treats her like a pariah?"

"Because she fooled every student of this school? I mean, don't get me wrong Mari, but I don't really like people like her, lying around only to get the attention of as many as possible. It goes against the reporter code."

She clutched the shoulder strap of her pink backpack and sighed again. Alya was right, of course. Lila had treated all of them badly but still…

"Hey, cheer up!" Alya poked her nose, "You can always try and talk to her? Maybe there's a reason why she decided to lie to the whole Paris. And if she treats you badly, you leave." She shrugged, "It's not like you're expecting anything better, it's a win-win situation."

"Yeah." She eyed the brunette again. She nodded, her mind made up, "Yeah. I'll try talking to her today. I'll tell you how it goes, okay?"

Alya smiled at her. Her best friend had a heart of gold, really. Never mind Lila had been a total nuisance to everyone, even the seamstress, but she was still willing to give her a second chance. She was like that with everyone – even Chloe – and it was something she adored about her, although sometimes worried her a little; she didn't want people taking advantage of her because of it, after all.

She was about to speak, but when she opened her mouth, she saw a yellow blur walking towards the still reading girl, blissfully unaware of what was coming for her.

"Uh-oh. It seems that Queen Bee has had the same idea as us, although she doesn't seem to have the same good intentions."

"What?" she turned around and saw Chloe make a stop in front of the oblivious Lila. Feeling ignored, she shot a look at Sabrina, who coughed to get her attention.

Lila eyed the two girls in front of her with a risen eyebrow for a moment, just to return her gaze to her book and turning the page, ignoring them purposely this time. Even at distance, she could see Chloe getting more and more ticked off with every breath she took.

Oh, this really wouldn't turn out alright.

"Excuse me!" Chloe sneered "Don't ignore me, you vixen!"

Lila flinched slightly at the name-calling and looked up again, this time closing her book.

"Did you need something?" she asked calmly

"Well, yes! It came to my ears that you tried to seduce my Adrikins with one of your disgusting lies."

"What about it?"

"Well then, back off. I don't want his reputation to be tainted because of your filthy presence. He is mine, you hear me? Mine and only mine."

She raised an eyebrow "Really? I didn't see his dog tag with your name in it. Do you have your Certificate of Ownership here with you? I would like to take a look."

"Don't play with me." She narrowed her eyes "You're the disgusting liar here, not me. You were the one who spread those rumours about yourself. Did you enjoy being the most popular girl in school? Did you enjoy feeling loved? Well, breaking news, you're alone! You don't have any friend, and you never will. You're revolting."

"Chloe, leave her alone." A voice spoke behind the blonde girl. She turned around, only to find Marinette glaring at her, her arms crossed.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in; it's Marinette Dupain-Cheng. How is the class rep doing?"

"Chloe don't make me repeat it. Leave her alone."

"What, you want to make friends with her?" she laughed, "It suits you; the baker and the liar. You two should form a comedy duo." She checked her porcelain nails "I wouldn't waste my precious time watching you, though."

She smiled at her with disdain "It's not like you're innocent either. Who was the one who locked Juleka in the bathroom so she could steal her spot in the class picture? Who insults and belittles everyone surrounding her? You don't even treat your best friend right."

"Well, excuse me? I won't let you, the worthless baker's daughter me, Chloe Bourgeois, the only daughter of the Mayor of Paris."

"How about we ask anyone in our class? Or anyone in Paris? I'm sure half of it has already suffered your wrath. Come on, let's ask them! Or are you afraid of what they might say?"

Chloe looked angrier with every word Marinette said. She raised her hand, prepared to slap her, but coincidentally a familiar white limousine stopped in front of the school and moments later Adrien stepped out of it. The blonde girl dropped her aggressive stance immediately and waved at him before glaring at the two girls again.

"What-ever. I don't have time to treat with the likes of you. However, remember my every word, Marinette, you will regret. Insulting. Me. _Au revoir._ "

And with a cry of 'Adriekins!' she left Lila and Marinette alone, Sabrina following her closely.

Marinette looked back at the brunette girl, who had resumed her reading. Now that they were the two alone, she had no idea what to tell her. The little she knew about her had been a total lie, so that left her with nothing. How to start a conversation without being awkward?

Lila raised her gaze again and looked at her questioningly "And what do you want?"

"Oh, um, I just-"

"Don't expect me to thank you, girl. I didn't ask you to step in. You're a nuisance."

Her words hurt more than she was willingly to admit, but she brushed past it.

"You're Lila, right?"

She raised an eyebrow "Yeah, but you already know that."

"Right. Well, I'm Marinette."

"Yeah, I guessed so far. You know, from Chloe-I'm-a-bitch Bourgeous? She said your name. What do you want?"

Marinette fidgeted uncomfortable "Um well, I saw you sitting here alone and I thought we could chat a bit?"

"No, thank you." And she returned to her book.

Marinette sighed, the words Lila said to Ladybug after purifying her Akuma resounding inside her head. Well, it seemed that the 'We will never be friends' part extended to her civilian self too.

And the fact was that she genuinely wanted to know the girl. Yeah, she had rubbed her badly at the beginning, but…

There was something about Lila that she couldn't help but notice, an inner loneliness that she tried to hide with all her lies and rude behaviour. After all, there was no way she wasn't even a bit hurt after everything her classmates made her pull through.

So her mind made up once again, she sat down on the steps near her. She took out her notebook and began drawing aimlessly on it, ignoring the curious looks she got from the other teenagers.

"What are you even doing now, girl?" Lila spoke up

"I'm designing a shirt for my friend Alya. It's her birthday soon and-"

"Forget I asked." She snapped, "What I meant was, why are you sitting next to me?"

She shrugged her shoulders "I like this place."

She huffed "Whatever."

They sat in silence for some minutes, Lila turning the pages of her book lazily and Marinette drawing some more, giving her design the finishing touches. She smiled when she completed the design, making a mental list of which materials she had to buy in order to make it.

Lila hadn't made an attempt of conversation in all this time.

Closing the notebook, she eyed the other girl. Maybe it was time to address the elephant in the room. Moreover, the beginning of their morning classes was roaming closer, so better to talk to her when she still had time.

"Look, Lila, I wanted to tell you-"

"Here it is." She rolled her eyes and closed the book with force "I was waiting for you to get your so needed courage and tell me whatever the hell you wanted to tell me. Do you want me to call me a dirty liar? I'm sorry, you're late. Your friend already made a number of herself earlier. Didn't you notice?"

"No, I-"

"I don't want to hear it." She began packing her thing and stand up, "Whatever you want to tell me, I'm not interested. How much I've wronged you? I don't care. Every possible insult you have for me, I've heard it all. Liar, bitch, trickster, scamp, cheater, wretch, _vixen,_ you name it _."_ she cocked her head "Although I do like the last one, I have to admit."

Marinette stood up beside her "Wait I didn't-"

"God, you're annoying. What the hell do I have to tell you for you to leave me alone? If I begin lying you'll leave? Could you just-"

"Would you let me finish a goddamn sentence?" She interrupted her, exasperated. Lila raised an eyebrow daringly, but nodded "What I meant to say _from the beginning_ was that I'm sorry. I want to apologize on the behalf of all my classmates, including me. It's not fair what they're doing to you, and I am so sorry. So there. You have it."

She looked suddenly hesitant, her green eyes gleaming with uncertainty "Is this some kind of prank? Because if it is I will hit you, and I have to inform you I have a dark belt in Judo."

Marinette chuckled at that. Once you knew she was lying, her stories were kind of funny. She smiled at the girl.

"No, I really mean it. It is true that you got a little… _carried away_ with your lies, but that doesn't give them the right to treat you like this."

She fidgeted and hugged her bag closer to her "Thank you? I guess? Now can I go?"

"One more thing. If you ever feel like venting or something you can come to me. I'm not anything special." She eyed her, tentative "I am clumsy, sometimes ridiculous and I tend to overthink my every action, but I'd l I would like to get to know you, if it's alright with you. The real you, the one that hides behind those lies. Is it okay?"

Lila nodded, out of words. Marinette smiled at that – at least she hadn't kicked her out or something. She called that progress. She suddenly remembered something, and began rummaging inside her bag.

"Here!" she cheered, taking out a box. When she opened it, she showed Lila the contents "They're macarons from my parent's bakery. Do you want one? They're really delicious."

"I don't."

Her longing gaze said otherwise.

"Come on! They don't bite."

She eyed them suspiciously, almost as if suspecting otherwise, and slowly raised her hand to take one of them. She touched it hesitant, and when nothing happened – really, what did she expect? That they exploded or something? – she lifted one of them with her fingers and brought it closer to her face, sniffing it. It smelled sweet.

Marinette giggled at that "What are you, a dog? I promise they're harmless, look." She took one of them and ate it. She smiled at the familiar sweet taste "See? Nothing's wrong with them."

"You could've put laxatives in them."

"Then we'll meet at the bathroom."

Lila scrunched her face in disgust, but before she could answer her the bell rang, notifying that classes were about to start.

"Oops, I really need to go. I've got a track record for being late, and I don't want to be scolded by my teacher again. See you later?"

"Y-yeah."

She nodded "Okay, bye!"

Marinette rushed inside the building, eager to reach her class, but Lila stayed behind for a bit. She stared at the sweet in her hands in wonder, pressing it with her fingertips. It seemed harmless, and it smelled good. She took a tentative bite and was surprised of the fine taste of the pastry. She wasn't usually a girl who liked sweets very much, but that macaron was delicious.

She took another bite, thinking on the dark haired girl that had been by her side just some moments ago. She had stepped in for her – even if she hadn't asked for it – and annoyed her with her stupid banter, but she seemed genuine. As an expert liar, she knew when someone was trying to fool her, but that girl…

She really wasn't lying.

Lila couldn't remember the last time someone had sincerely wanted to be with her. Sure, a lot of people had approached her in her life, but it was interest what moved them. They didn't want to know the Lila that was a little too rude for her own good and liked reading when it was raining, they wanted to know the Lila that met famous people and got to ride in a jet plane.

But Marinette did. After knowing that she was a dirty liar, after treating her like dirt, she really wanted to get to know her.

She felt the lump in her throat when she swallowed the last bite of the macaron. She cleaned one stray tear that had managed to fall from her clouded eyes and cleared her throat. It wouldn't do her any good to walk inside her class looking like this. Everyone would laugh.

Everyone but one.

"Thank you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng." She whispered before walking inside.

Unknown by her, a girl with dark hair tucked in two low ponytails and blue eyes had stayed behind, waiting for Lila to come inside. She heard what she had muttered before entering, and she hid behind the door once she walked inside, knowing that she wouldn't appreciate her snooping.

Lila didn't notice her, and she climbed the steps with renewed energy before putting her mask of indifference on.

Marinette smiled watching her go. She clutched the shoulder strap of her bag and rushed to her classroom, already late. Before going inside, though, she looked at the direction of Lila's class and smiled again.

"You're welcome, Lila."

 **Sorry for making Chloe so hateful here. I don't hate her character, I think she's just a spoiled brat that really needs a reality slap to chillax a little bit; however, I needed her to be the bully in this chapter – not that she isn't in canon already.**

 **This is a completed one shot, but as everything I do, it's susceptible to change depending on the response it gets and how inspired I am. Please review and tell me your thoughts about it!**


End file.
